BANANA FLOUR SLICE

Gluten free - grain free - dairy free - refined sugar free - additive free - vegetarian

This is the first recipe I've ever made using Banana Flour and I'm impressed! Mt Uncle's Banana Flour was researched and created here in Australia and was introduced to the market in 2012. It is a gluten free flour, but is so much better than other gluten free flours in so many ways. Firstly, it's not only gluten free but also grain free- great for all you Paleo eaters out there! Secondly, it's not a nut-based gluten free flour- great for those with tree nut allergies (I don't think banana allergies are as common as nut allergies!!) Thirdly, it's a Resistant Starch. My attempt to explain what this means is as follows: Resistant starch is resistant to the digestive enzymes in the stomach and small intestine, so it is not absorbed there like most other starches, and makes it all the way to the large intestine, acting like dietary fibre.

The benefits of this include:
* keeping your bowels 'regular'
* reducing the chance of colon cancer
* doesn't give your body an instant glucose hit like other starches, and then the associated sugar-low afterwards (ie it's very low G.I.)
* keeps you feeling full for longer
* reduces fat storage after a meal that it is consumed
* promotes increased mineral absorption compared to other starches, especially calcium and magnesium
* promotes good bacteria off the gut (they can feed off it)

No other food contains as much resistant starch per serve as bananas! Second in the running is rolled oats.
Unlike many other gluten free flours that require altering recipes drastically to achieve the non-gluten-free comparison, it's easy to replace regular flour in your favourite recipes. You use 3/4 cup of banana flour for every cup of wheat flour in the recipe, make sure you use baking powder or soda, and some recipes will benefit from an extra egg (or soaked chia seeds).
This recipe was a childhood favourite of mine. We called it Sultana Slice and it's in a hand-written in a book of recipes I transcribed from my Mum's when I left home. I've been wanting to give it a gluten/dairy/sugar-free make over for a long time and the banana flour has helped to keep it excitingly close to the original taste and texture. And, by the way, it doesn't taste like banana! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (125 g) coconut oil (or organic butter)


• 3/4 cup coconut sugar


• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste


• 2 eggs


• 3/4 cup banana flour


• 1 teaspoon bicarb /baking soda


• 1 teaspoon cinnamon


• 1 teaspoon allspice (or add an extra teaspoon cinnamon)


• 3/4 cup dessicated coconut


• 1 1/2 cups sultanas (if you don't like dried fruit in slice, you could replace this with 100g 70% cocoa chocolate)


Variation: if you want to make this slice a little more 'adult', soak the sultanas in Port or Sherry for half an hour before using them (drain the liquid before adding them to the batter).

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius / 350F (160C fan forced).


2. Line a small rectangular or square slice tin with baking paper. (about 19 x 28cm)


3. In a large saucepan, melt the coconut oil or butter. While hot, stir in the coconut sugar and vanilla.


4. Lightly beat the eggs with a fork in a separate bowl and add to the oil mix in the saucepan.


5. Add the flour, bicarb soda, cinnamon, allspice, dessicated coconut and sultanas.


6. Mix very thoroughly until as smooth as possible.


7. Spread into the lined tin and smooth out the top.


8. Bake for 10 minutes, then cover with foil and bake a further 10 minutes.


9. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. This slice is yummy served warm with some caramel sauce for dessert, or it's great once cooled as a morning or afternoon snack.


10. Store in an airtight container.

Source: Food, Glorious Friendly Food